Handrail guard

ABSTRACT

A handrail guard for a passenger conveyor balustrade having a handrail cover movable along the handrail by objects on the handrail to prevent injury to the objects and conveyor. A spring mechanism resists initial movement of the cover and then releases the cover for substantially free movement for a short period of time during which the conveyor is stopped by a switch mechanism connected to the spring mechanism. A sensory and deflecting warning means is carried by the cover to expedite the removal of objects from the handrail during the initial movement of the cover and thereby reduce the shutdown time of the conveyor.

[451 Sept. 17,1974

[ HANDRAIL GUARD [75] Inventors: John H. Hewitt, Tallmadge; Deane W. Richardson, Worthington, both of Ohio [73] Assignee: The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio 22 Filed: June 25,1973

21 Appl. No.: 373,109

Primary ExaminerEvon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-Douglas D. Watts Attorney, Agent, or Firm--F. W. Brunner; R. P. Yaist; Frederick K. Lacher [5 7 ABSTRACT A handrail guard for a passenger conveyor balustrade having a handrail cover movable along the handrail by objects on the handrail to prevent injury to the objects and conveyor. A spring mechanism resists initial movement of the cover and then releases the cover for substantially free movement for a short period of time during which the conveyor is stopped by a switch mechanism connected to the spring mechanism. A sensory and deflecting warning means is carried by the cover to expedite the removal of objects from the handrail during the initial movement of the cover and thereby reduce the shutdown time of the conveyor.

14 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures HANDRAIL GUARD This invention relates generally to safety mechanisms for passenger conveyor handrails and more specifically to a guard for the handrail opening where the moving handrail enters the balustrade. Heretofore, handrails have been carried over the end of the supporting balustrade and through an opening near the floor. Different types of guards have been mounted around this opening such as collars of foam rubber and brushes to deflect the objects away from the handrail and the openmg.

With this type of handrail and handrail guard, it has been found that children are more liable to play around the handrail and opening when it is near the floor. Not only do they try to stick their fingers and objects such as sticks into the opening, but they may be injured by the converging action of the handrail surface with the floor surface. Problems have also been encountered with guards having switches for stopping the operation of the handrail and conveyor in that they do not provide sufficient resiliency and movement of the guards to maintain the operation of the conveyor during a momentary contact by an object with the guard. There has also not been sufficient movement of the guards to prevent injury while the handrail is being decelerated and stopped. Problems have also been encountered in resetting the automatic switch mechanism for stopping the handrail so that the conveyor may be put back into service in the shortest possible time.

The handrail guards used heretofore are located close to the floor over the end of the balustrade and provide no warning to the passengers to be prepared for walking off the end of the conveyor.

With the foregoing in mind, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a safety mechanism in which the handrail guard resiliently resists forces exerted by objects on the handrail for a predetermined initial movement of the guard before actuating the switch for stopping the conveyor and handrail.

Another object of this invention is to provide for free movement of the guard after the initial resisting movement to prevent injury or damage while the handrail and conveyor are being braked and stopped.

A further object of this invention is to provide a construction of the guard for deflecting objects from the handrail as the handrail enters the guard and during the movement of the guard member.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a safety mechanism located on top the balustrade out of reach of children and in a position to warn passengers of the fact that they have reached the exit end of the conveyor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a latch mechanism which is spring loaded for resisting movement of the guard during a predetermined initial movement and then moves out of the way to permit free movement of the guard while the conveyor is being shut down.

A further object of this invention is to provide switch means responsive to movement of the guard and to movement of the spring loaded latch to insure that stoppage of the conveyor and handrail is achieved.

A still further object of this invention is to provide for automatic resetting of the spring loaded latch upon movement of the guard back to the original operating position.

These and other objects of the present invention may be achieved by the safety mechanism of this invention including a movable handrail cover mounted on the top of the balustrade in telescopic relation with a stationary cover. A spring loaded latch is in engagement with a cam plate on the movable cover for resisting initial movement of the movable cover and allowing free movement thereafter. Switches responsive to movement of the cam plate and the latch automatically shut down the conveyor after the initial movement of the movable handrail cover. Deflection of objects on the handrail is provided through either a brush mounted on the end of the movable handrail cover or a plurality of flexible leaf members mounted on the movable cover in overlapping relationship and surrounding the handrail.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail a certain illustrative embodiment and a modification of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but two of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

In the annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a balustrade and safety mechanism embodying the invention, parts being broken away.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1, with parts being broken away.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the planes of lines 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmented view like FIG. 2 of a modification of the safety mechanism of this invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the plane of line 55 of FIG. 4.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, there is shown. a portion of a passenger conveyor system 1 having an endless belt 2 which may be inclined or horizontal, as shown in FIG. 1, for conveying passengers. A handrail 3 in the form of an endless flexible narrow belt is provided adjacent the side of the belt 2 for grasping by the passengers. The handrail 3 may be generally C- shaped in section for support by an upper edge member 4 mounted on a balustrade 5 along the path of the handrail. The edge member 4 desirably carries a rail 6 with beaded edges 7 over which the handrail 3 is mounted. The balustrade 5 may include glass panels 8 and a boxed end portion 9 containing the pulley around which the handrail 3 is carried for conveyance back to the other end of the conveyor system 1.

A stationary cover member such as cap 12 is mounted over the handrail 3 on top of the end portion 9 of the balustrade 5 and has an open end 13 in which a handrail cover member such as guard 14 is telescopically mounted for sliding movement into and out of the cap.

As shown more clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, the guard 14 has a channel shape with a cross member 15 connecting the sides of the guard and extending through a slot 16 in the edge member 4. A plate 17 at the end of the guard 14 carries a deflecting means such as a brush 18 having bristles 19 extending along the handrail 3 with the ends exposed to deflect objects from the handrail.

A cam plate 22 is mounted on the underside of the cross member of the guard 14 and extends through a slot 23 in the top of the balustrade 5 into an enclosed chamber 24 of the balustrade. A structural plate 25 of the balustrade 5 supports a pedestal 26 on which a latch such as angle 27 is hinged to the pedestal by a hinge 28 fastened to the pedestal and to the angle. The angle 27 has a spring-carrying side or lever 29 engageable with an end cam surface 32 of the cam plate 22 in the operating position of the conveyor system 1, shown in FIG. 2. The lever 29 carries hooks 33 and 34 to which spring means such as coil springs 35 and 36 are secured at one end. Hooks 37 and 38 are fastened to the plate 25 and the other ends of the coil springs 35 and 36 are connected to these hooks. The coil springs 35 and 36 are connected so that in the operating condition of the conveyor system 1, shown in FIG. 2, the springs urge the lever 29 against the end cam surface 32 resisting movement of the guard 14 in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 2. When an object carried by the handrail 3 engages the guard 14 and has sufficient force to overcome the tension in the coil springs 35 and 36, the cam plate 22 will move the lever 29 pivotally around the hinge 28 counterclockwise in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIG. 2. This will stretch the coil springs 35 and 36 as the springs move to a position shown in dot-dash lines and designated A-A indicating the center-line of the springs. As this movement continues, the centerline of the springs 33 and 36 will be moved to a position indicated by letters BB which is beyond the pivot point of the hinge 28 and therefore the angle 27 and lever 29 will be moved to the position shown in chain-dotted lines in FIG. 2. From this position to the position shown in chaindotted lines in FIG. 2 where the guard 14 is telescopically inserted in the cap 12 of the balustrade 5 there will no longer be resistance to the movement of the guard.

A switch 39 is mounted on a bracket 42 attached to the pedestal 26 and has an arm 43 spring loaded so as to be normally in the open position. When the lever 29 is moved counterclockwise, as described hereinabove, the springs 35 and 36 will bias the lever downward, as shown in FIG. 2, into contact with the switch arm 43 which is connected by suitable leads and relays to the power supply and brakes of the handrail and conveyor to shut down the conveyor system 1. The handrail is stopped before the guard 14 is completely inserted into the cap 12 so that an object carried by the handrail 3 and pushing the guard 14 is not injured nor is the handrail and safety mechanism damaged.

The cam plate 22 has a switch cam surface 44 engageable by a second switch 45 mounted on the balustrade 5 and having a cam follower 46in engagement with the switch cam surface. As shown in FIG- 2, the switch cam surface 44 is parallel to the direction of movement of the guard 14 for a predetermined distance and then permits the cam follower 46 to move from the position shown in solid lines to the position shown in dotted lines. This switch 45 is also connected by suitable leads and relays to the power supply to shut down the conveyor, stopping the movement of the handrail 3 and belt 2. By having two switches 39 and 45, there is practically no chance that this safety mechanism will malfunction and not stop the handrail 3.

At right angles to the lever 29 of angle 27 is an arm 47 which is movable from the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 2 to the position shown in chain-dotted lines as the lever 29 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction shown by the arrow in FIG. 2. The cam plate 22 has a reset cam surface 48 on the opposite side from the end cam surface 32. When the guard 14 is moved from the position shown in chain-dotted lines in FIG. 2 to the operating position shown in solid lines which can be done manually, the reset cam surface 48 engages the arm 47 of angle 27 rotating it about the hinge 28 in the clockwise direction and moving it to the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 2. The conveyor system 1 is then ready for startup and continued operation. The switches 39 and 45 are both disconnected and the springs 35 and 36 are in a position to resist movement of the guard 14 in the direction of movement of the handrail 3. The end of the cam plate 22 abuts the end of the slot 23 limiting the movement of the guard 14 to the right, as shown in FIG. 2, to maintain it in'the operational position.

As described hereinabove, an object carried by the handrail 3 may engage the brush 18 and be deflected;

however, if this does not take place and the object is carried against the plate 17 of the guard 14, movement in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIG. 2 will take place against the force of the springs 35 and 36. This resistance to movement will continue until the centerline A-A of the springs 35 and 36 passes over the center of the hinge 28 and the lever 29 takes the position shown in chain-dotted lines. After this predetermined initial movement of the guard 14 along the path of the handrail 3, the switches 39 and 45 will be actuated, braking and stopping the handrail 3 and belt 2 as the guard moves from the position shown in solid lines to the position shown in chain-dotted lines in FIG. 2. This will provide sufficient time for braking and stopping the conveyor system 1. After the object carried by the handrail 3 has been removed, the guard 14 may be pushed'by hand to the right, as shown in FIG. 2, to the operating position. At the same time, the lever 29 is moved clockwise into the operating position and the switches 39 and 45 are turned off making it possible to resume the operation of the system 1 in the shortest possible time.

As shown in FIG. 1, the guard 14 is located close to the point where the belt 2 and comb plate 49 intersect at the end of the conveyor system 1. The position of the guard 14 and the contact of the bristles 19 with the passengers hands serve to call their attention to the fact that this is the end of the conveyor and they must be ready to step from the moving belt 2 to the stationary comb plate 49.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, a modified form of deflecting means mounted on the end of the guard 14 is shown. A plurality of L-shaped leaves 50 which may be of flexible sheet material are mounted in overlapping relationship on the guard 14'. Vertical legs 51 and 52 of the leaves 50 are fastened as by spacer plates 53 and rivets 54 to the guard 14'. The other unattached horizontal legs 55 and 56 have ends located in close proximity at the center of the handrail 3. In operation, objects carried by the handrail 3 deflect the leaves 50 and are then themselves-deflected from the handrail.

While certain representative embodiments and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A safety mechanism for a passenger conveyor handrail comprising a handrail cover member disposed over a portion of the handrail and mounted for movement along the path of the handrail, deflecting means on said cover member in close proximity to the handrail for deflecting objects from the handrail, spring means for resisting a predetermined initial movement of said cover member, said cover member having a projecting cam plate member, a lever member mounted for engagement by said cam plate member to resist said predetermined initial movement of said cover member, said spring means including a coil spring attached at one end to said lever member and at the other end to a stationary part of said passenger conveyor at a position where said lever member is biased away from said cam plate member after said predetermined initial movement of said cover member to permit free movement of said cover member, and switch means responsive to the movement of said cover member after said initial movement for stopping the handrail 2. A safety mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said lever member includes an arm extending outwardly and into position on the other side of said cam plate member after said predetermined initial movement of said cover member for engagement by said cam plate member when said cover member is returned to the initial operating position whereby said lever member will be moved into engagement with said cam plate member in the operating position.

3. A safety mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said switch means is engageable with said cam plate member for actuation after said predetermined initial movement of said cover member.

4. A safety mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said switch means is engageable by said lever member after said predetermined initial movement of said cover member.

5. A safety mechanism according to claim 4 wherein said deflecting means includes a brush member at one end of said cover member with bristles extending outwardly from the cover member along the handrail so that the ends of said bristles will be engaged by objects moving along the handrail.

6. A safety mechanism for a passenger conveyor handrail comprising a handrail cover member disposed over a portion of the handrail and mounted for movement along the path of the handrail, deflecting means on said cover member in close proximity to the handrail for deflecting objects from the handrail, spring means for resisting a predetermined initial movement of said cover member, said cover member having an actuating surface and a lever member positioned for engagement with said actuating surface for resisting said predetermined initial movement of said cover member, said spring means including a spring interposed between said lever member and a stationary part of said passenger conveyor at a position where said lever member is biased away from said cover member after said predetermined initial movement to permit free movement of said cover member, and switch means responsive to the movement of said cover member after said initial movement for stopping the handrail.

7. A safety mechanism for a passenger conveyor handrail comprising a handrail cover member disposed over a portion of the handrail and mounted for movement along the path of the handrail, deflecting means on said cover member in close proximity to the handrail for deflecting objects from the handrail, spring means for resisting a predetermined initial movement of said cover member, a latch member positioned for engagement with said cover member and connected to said spring means for resisting said predetermined initial movement of said cover member, said spring means including a spring interposed between said latch member and a stationary part of said passenger conveyor at a position where said latch member is moved out of engagement with said cover member after said predetermined initial movement to permit free movement of said cover member, and switch means responsive to the movement of said cover member after said initial movement for stopping the handrail.

8. A safety mechanism according to claim 7 including a second switch means for stopping the handrail, said second switch means being responsive to movement of said latch member releasing said cover from the resistance of said spring means.

9. A safety mechanism according to claim 7 wherein said passenger conveyor has a balustrade for supporting the handrail and said cover member is disposed at the top of the balustrade.

10. A safety mechanism according to claim 7 wherein said deflecting means includes a brush member at one end of said cover member with bristles extending outwardly along the handrail so that the ends of the bristles will contact objects moving along the handrail.

11. A safety mechanism according to claim 7 further comprising a stationary cap member with said handrail cover member movable telescopically into said stationary cap member during said predetermined initial movement and prior to stopping of the handrail.

12. A safety mechanism for a passenger conveyor handrail comprising a handrail cover member disposed over a portion of the handrail and mounted for movement along the path of the handrail, deflecting means including flexible L-shaped leaf members, each of said leaf members having one leg hingedly mounted on said movable cover member and the other leg extending over the top of the handrail in overlapping relation with an adjacent leaf member to deflect objects from the handrail as they come in contact with said leaf members, spring means for resisting a predetermined initial movement of said cover member, latch means connected to said spring means for releasing said cover member from the resistance of said spring means after said initial movement of said cover member and switch means responsive to the movement of said cover member after said initial movement for stopping the handrail.

13. A safety mechanism according to claim 12 wherein said leaf members are fastened on both sides of said handrail with the unattached ends in close proximity at the top over the center of the handrail.

14. A safety mechanism for a passenger conveyor handrail comprising a handrail cover member disposed over a portion of the handrail and mounted for movement along the path of the handrail, deflecting means including flexible leaf members, each of said leaf members having a vertically extending portion mounted on said movable cover member and a horizontally extending portion extending over the top of the handrail in overlapping relation with an adjacent leaf member to for releasing said cover member from the resistance of said spring means after said initial movement of said cover member and switch means responsive to the movement of said cover member after said initial movement for stopping the handrail. 

1. A safety mechanism for a passenger conveyor handrail comprising a handrail cover member disposed over a portion of the handrail and mounted for movement along the path of the handrail, deflecting means on said cover member in close proximity to the handrail for deflecting objects from the handrail, spring means for resisting a predetermined initial movement of said cover member, said cover member having a projecting cam plate member, a lever member mounted for engagement by said cam plate member to resist said predetermined initial movement of said cover member, said spring means including a coil spring attached at one end to said lever member and at the other end to a stationary part of said passenger conveyor at a position where said lever member is biased away from said cam plate member after said predetermined initial movement of said cover member to permit free movement of said cover member, and switch means responsive to the movement of said cover member after said initial movement for stopping the handrail.
 2. A safety mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said lever member includes an arm extending outwardly and into position on the other side of said cam plate meMber after said predetermined initial movement of said cover member for engagement by said cam plate member when said cover member is returned to the initial operating position whereby said lever member will be moved into engagement with said cam plate member in the operating position.
 3. A safety mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said switch means is engageable with said cam plate member for actuation after said predetermined initial movement of said cover member.
 4. A safety mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said switch means is engageable by said lever member after said predetermined initial movement of said cover member.
 5. A safety mechanism according to claim 4 wherein said deflecting means includes a brush member at one end of said cover member with bristles extending outwardly from the cover member along the handrail so that the ends of said bristles will be engaged by objects moving along the handrail.
 6. A safety mechanism for a passenger conveyor handrail comprising a handrail cover member disposed over a portion of the handrail and mounted for movement along the path of the handrail, deflecting means on said cover member in close proximity to the handrail for deflecting objects from the handrail, spring means for resisting a predetermined initial movement of said cover member, said cover member having an actuating surface and a lever member positioned for engagement with said actuating surface for resisting said predetermined initial movement of said cover member, said spring means including a spring interposed between said lever member and a stationary part of said passenger conveyor at a position where said lever member is biased away from said cover member after said predetermined initial movement to permit free movement of said cover member, and switch means responsive to the movement of said cover member after said initial movement for stopping the handrail.
 7. A safety mechanism for a passenger conveyor handrail comprising a handrail cover member disposed over a portion of the handrail and mounted for movement along the path of the handrail, deflecting means on said cover member in close proximity to the handrail for deflecting objects from the handrail, spring means for resisting a predetermined initial movement of said cover member, a latch member positioned for engagement with said cover member and connected to said spring means for resisting said predetermined initial movement of said cover member, said spring means including a spring interposed between said latch member and a stationary part of said passenger conveyor at a position where said latch member is moved out of engagement with said cover member after said predetermined initial movement to permit free movement of said cover member, and switch means responsive to the movement of said cover member after said initial movement for stopping the handrail.
 8. A safety mechanism according to claim 7 including a second switch means for stopping the handrail, said second switch means being responsive to movement of said latch member releasing said cover from the resistance of said spring means.
 9. A safety mechanism according to claim 7 wherein said passenger conveyor has a balustrade for supporting the handrail and said cover member is disposed at the top of the balustrade.
 10. A safety mechanism according to claim 7 wherein said deflecting means includes a brush member at one end of said cover member with bristles extending outwardly along the handrail so that the ends of the bristles will contact objects moving along the handrail.
 11. A safety mechanism according to claim 7 further comprising a stationary cap member with said handrail cover member movable telescopically into said stationary cap member during said predetermined initial movement and prior to stopping of the handrail.
 12. A safety mechanism for a passenger conveyor handrail comprising a handrail cover member disposed over a portion of the handrail and mounted for movement along the pAth of the handrail, deflecting means including flexible L-shaped leaf members, each of said leaf members having one leg hingedly mounted on said movable cover member and the other leg extending over the top of the handrail in overlapping relation with an adjacent leaf member to deflect objects from the handrail as they come in contact with said leaf members, spring means for resisting a predetermined initial movement of said cover member, latch means connected to said spring means for releasing said cover member from the resistance of said spring means after said initial movement of said cover member and switch means responsive to the movement of said cover member after said initial movement for stopping the handrail.
 13. A safety mechanism according to claim 12 wherein said leaf members are fastened on both sides of said handrail with the unattached ends in close proximity at the top over the center of the handrail.
 14. A safety mechanism for a passenger conveyor handrail comprising a handrail cover member disposed over a portion of the handrail and mounted for movement along the path of the handrail, deflecting means including flexible leaf members, each of said leaf members having a vertically extending portion mounted on said movable cover member and a horizontally extending portion extending over the top of the handrail in overlapping relation with an adjacent leaf member to deflect objects from the handrail as they come in contact with said leaf members, spring means for resisting a predetermined initial movement of said cover member, latch means connected to said spring means for releasing said cover member from the resistance of said spring means after said initial movement of said cover member and switch means responsive to the movement of said cover member after said initial movement for stopping the handrail. 